Aircraft Line Maintenance vs Hangar Maintenance

I work on an Avionics crew at the Tulsa heavy maintenance facility and there is no way I would want to work at a line station. I have big respect for the line station mechanics, the fast paced environment of the line is not for everyone not to mention the constant pressure that management puts on you to fix discrepancies as quickly as possible to get the aircraft back in the air which I have ZERO TOLERANCE for from anybody because that’s when mistakes happen. And for you younger mechanics that are just getting started…anytime a supervisor or manager tries to pressure you into doing something that you know or suspect is a deviation from standard procedures…tell him you want it in writing and signed with his employee and/or certification # and then take it to your local FAA inspector and see what he has to say about it and I can promise you that shit will stop immediately. Anyways, from a fellow mechanic keep up the good work Stig! Always honor the airman’s creed and do us proud!

Now retired, I had 52-years in military and air transport category aircraft maintenance and was given the Charles Taylor Award by the FAA. Line maintenance midnight shift at a large airline is the more interesting job if the mechanic likes troubleshooting systems and getting to know how the aircraft actually works. Hanger maintenance, most of which is done by third party contractors these days, is a lot of repetitive work cards and not very interesting from my viewpoint. If the mechanic is interested in nuts and bolts jobs like replacing landing gear, flaps/slats, engines, etc, then heavy maintenance might be appealing. Line maintenance mechanic compensation is far superior than what is paid to hangar mechanics at third party contractors.

You're unsung heroes, thanks for working so hard and keeping us safe.

One way I describe to people the difference between Line and Hanger maintenance is: Line is like a hospital emergency room where a sick plane comes in and is diagnosed and treated quickly then sent back out, whereas the Hanger is like a hospital ward where routine surgeries are carried out with more time.

I remember standing in the wheel well of a G-650 and being blown away with the tubing, wiring and all the components. The level of engineering that goes into these machines is astounding!

This is part of why flying is such a safe form of travel. Great work

I'd like to mention hanger maintenance for an airline is vastly different than hanger maintenance for a 3rd party. 3rd party every task has a time limit as to allow what the customer paid for. Can also be very stressful

I'm not in the airline maintenance business at all. Thank you for this video. I fly a lot and to see the level of detail and care you all put in to keep us all safe......THANK YOU!

I am a retired A&P and and have worked line, and hanger maintenance as a mechanic, and a crew chief /lead mechanic ,in both positions ,was also a inspector in both positions, and spent a little time in maintenance control . I really like the job always learning new things , The only downside is its a 24-7 365 day job, and working the line in the winter was interesting at times ,but line MTX as a mechanic was my favorite . I liked the hands on and troubleshooting aspects of line MTX. Inspection and lead positions paid a little more, but much more paperwork . Hanger MTX is steady work and the day goes buy fast but not so much troubleshooting .

Interesting to see how the different checks are done. They’re similar, completing each other, but the duration of the checks make the difference. It was great to acknowledge all those. Thank you.

Bro, I like the way you talk and explain, to the point and interesting !

I had the chance to tour a United maintenance station a few years back and got to see a 737 undergoing a D-check. All interior fittings and paneling were completely removed besides some of the center floor panels, revealing the former/bulkhead/stringer structure in all its glory. Really put into perspective the effort it takes to keep these machines flying!

Well done my friend, I'm a tin basher in Canada, mechanic and structure are separate careers up here. Used this video to explain what I do for a living. Best marriage is a nurse and a aircraft mechanic, 24/7 weekends... you get it.

Next time I fly, I will think of all the hard and highly technical work you guys and gals do. Thanks for keeping us safe.

Great video. When i was their, we were intimidated from youtube or social media. However, i think its great because the general public will never see this behind the scenes. The line maintenance is much heavier outside of Tulsa. So the checks depend on the station. The majority will not see a c or d check . So, theres to operations.

This video is so great. During my apprenticeship, I started out with both line and hangar just to grab every knowledge and information necessary for my aircraft maintenance career. I ended up loving hangar maintenance more coz of the in-depth knowledge of aircraft mechanics but still capable of doing line. I specialized in engines & airframes and currently comfortable with both line and hangar for versatility. I love your presentation and now you have a new subscriber

I never knew you guys had to go through lots of aircraft, pre-fight and even starting up. I’m working on my private right now, planning to go to commercial ATP pilot. You guys are insane. Thank you for what you do to keep pilots safe.

Just passed my Powerplant written, and will be taking my O&P for Powerplant to finish up my licenses next week. Eager to get into the field and start wrenching! Great video, keep it up.

Wow. Thats is amazing. The amount of pipes and wiring that is revealed when the covers are removed is astounding. Thanks Stig. The scale and breadth of knowledge needed is very impressive. Cool that you get to drive one around also. Very much appreciate you taking the time and effort to post a skin back walk around view of the aircraft.

This channel is the best. Glad to be graced with professionals like yourself looking after our airplanes.